Multiple electrical connector



Sept. 18, 1962 F. P. BUITXNG MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Deb. 3,1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Francis F. Buii'mj BY Sept. 18, 1962 F.P. BUITING MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5,1958 Franus P bmun BY M, W L v-dk Sept. 18, 1962 F. P. BUITING MULTIPLEELECTRICAL. CONNECTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed D60. 3, 1958 INVENTOR.ranc|s P. Bumn M,WXW

Sept. 18, 1962 F. P. BUlTlNG MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed D80. 3, 1958 INVENTOR. Franus P. bulun BY Unite Itis frequently necessary to make electrical connections between aplurality of conductors, each of which mates with a similar conductor.It is necessary that these connections be designed so that they may beconnected and disconnected with a minimum effort and yet provide maximumlocking strength.

Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a set of multipleconnectors of the type described which may be made quite easily andinexpensively whereby a few basic units will provide the basiccomponents for a versatile range of connectors. This of course will meanthat the stock of inventory may be limited to a relatively few parts.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a set of connectors ofthe type described which is adapted to be enclosed in a sealed unit.This protects the connection against humidity and other environmentalfactors.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a set of connectors ofthe type described wherein the male and female terminals are identical.These connectors may be mounted in panels and/ or may be lockedtogether.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional view of two connectors in mating position;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a block which cornprises part of thehousing which contains the connectors shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the bottom of a block shown in FIGURE2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view of one of the openings as shown in thehousing of FIGURES l and 3;

FIGURE 4A is a view similar to FIGURE 4 illustrating a connector in theopening;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of a connector block incorporatingprinciples of this invention, adapted to contain six electricalcircuits;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view, partially broken away, illustrating asecond embodiment of a means of clamping the cables into the housingblock;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing the cable clamping meansin released position;

FIGURE 8 is an assembly view including the cable clamp of FIGURE 6showing the connector block and cables in locked or connected position;

FIGURE 9 is a view of the parts shown in FIGURE 1 showing individualcable connecting means prior to their being joined together;

FIGURE 10 is a View of the parts shown in FIGURE 9 showing thesecomponents in their locked together position;

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of the parts shown in FIGURE 5 showingthe electrical connector housing mounted in a panel. Also this viewillustrates the cables sealed in a shell and crimped together as well assuitable dies for crimping said cables;

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of the clamping sleeve; and

FIGURE 13 is a view similar to FIGURES 6 and 7 showing the cableretaining means in released position.

States Patent 0 ice Basically the structure forming the invention may bedivided into two categories. One category includes the means for linkingthe electrical conductors together as shown in FIGURES 1, 9 and 10. Theother category comprises the block or housing which retain the connectormeans in assembled position as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5.

Considering first the terminals or connecting means, as shown in FIGURESl and 9, they are identical units so that only one of them need bedescribed. As shown in FIGURE 1, these connectors may be stamped out offlat stock and folded over to form a pair of blades 10 and 12. In theirfolded-over position, these blades are spaced apart a distance slightlyless than the thickness of the stock. This forms a connecting meanswhich is hermaphroditic and permits the insertion of the correspondingblade of the opposite connector, whereby the resiliency of the bladewill hold the members in tight contact. Since the opposite member isformed in a similar manner, the first connector is also held the sameway. The forward end 14 of the outer blade 12 is curved outwardly at itstip to permit easy insertion.

The opposite end of the connector 18 is wrapped around the bare end of aconductor and crimped thereon.

The intermediate section 16 of the connector has an outside diameterwhich is slightly less than the inside diameter of the housing or blockinto which it fits. A slight key 20 projects from the intermediatesurface and runs longitudinally of the surface. This abutment forms akey with the housing as will presently be described. The outer surfaceof the connector tapers down to the blade to form a conical surface 16'.

Directing attention now to the housing, the basic unit of this assemblycomprises a rectangular block 22 (FIG- URES 2 and 3) formed of aninsulating material, preferably a molded plastic. A plurality ofcylindrical openings 30 are disposed in the block in parallelrelationship and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the block.As previously suggested the inside diameter of these openings isslightly larger than the outside diameter of the intermediate portion 16of the connectors. Thus it is seen that the connectors form a loose litwith the inside of the block thus keeping the connectors in parallelalignment but permitting some flexibility. A detent 32 (FIGURE 4) isformed on the inside of the opening to accommodate the key 20 on theconnector. While six openings are shown in the preferred embodiment, itis obvious that any combination would be suitable, depending on thefunction of the unit. The part 20 constitutes an outwardly extendingresilient spring member (FIGURE 9) which is urged inwardly as theconnector is inserted into the housing from the bottom (FIGURE 4). Whenthe connector is fully inserted, the spring 20 snaps outwardly againinto the slot 32 and is thus locked against removal. To extract theconnector, a fiat blade, such as a small screw driver, may be insertedinto the top of the slot 32 to force the spring inwardly and facilitateremoval of the connector.

Dovetail grooves 34 run the length of the outside surface of the blockon each of its long sides. These grooves permit insertion of a memberfor locking the housing to a panel or in stacking the units and will bedescribed later.

It is observed (see FIGURE 2) that one end of the block 22 has a pair ofnotches 36 cut into the corner of the block. Aligned with these notchesare dependent projections 38. It is obvious that when these blocks arestacked together the dependent projections 38 of any given block willmate with the corresponding notches 36 on the adjacent block. This willlock the two members against lateral movement.

Also depending from the end of the block and disposed between theprojections 38 is a tab 4% This tab 40 has a barb at its lower end. Thetab is aligned with a slot 42 in the upper edge of the block. The slot42 is disposed between the notches 36 and is tapered inwardly on itsinner surface with a second slot 44 at its inner end. Again consideringtwo blocks in stacked relationship, it is apparent that the tab 44 willenter the slot 42 so that the barbed end of the tab will be forcedinwardly until it passes the lower edge of the slot at which time itwill again spring outwardly into a slot 44 to form a locking detent.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the block is symmetrical so that the slot and tabarrangement on one end is in inverted relationship to the slot and tabarrangement on the opposite end. This permits the blocks to be reversedwhen they are stacked. This slot 44 also permits access to the barb sothat if it is desired to disengage the blocks, the tab 40 may be sprunginwardly and the blocks withdrawn from each other. A ridge &6 surroundsthe faces of the block which are in sealing engagement. This ridge isadapted to accommodate a sealing ring should it be desired to make amoistureproof seal at the face-to-face engagement of the blocks.

The apertures 30 in the blocks (FIGURE 4) taper from a circularcross-section at one end to an oval cross section at the opposite endand are adapted to locate the terminals in position. As shown in FIGURE4 a conical surface 31' in the aperture coacts with the tapered portion16' on the terminal barrel. These mating surfaces locate the terminal inthe apertures in the block.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4A, and previously described, the cylindricalportion of the opening receives the cylindrical portion 16 of theterminal. The detent 20 on the outside of the terminal barrel locks intothe detent 32 on the inside of the opening to orient the blade portionsagainst longitudinal and rotation move ment. The slot 32 extendsoutwardly to the face of the block to permit access to the detent 20whereby the detent may be depressed and the terminal removed from theblock.

It is obvious from the above that the terminals are connected bysecuring them to wires as shown in FIG- URE 1, snapping the male membersinto one of these blocks, and the female members into a pair of stackedblocks (so that the blades do not protrude). The blocks are then joinedby snapping them together in face-to-face relationship. Should it bedesired to add one or more units of blocks, the second block may bejoined to the male member in side-by-side relationship. As shown inFIGURE 5, a rod 33 having V-shaped grooves on each side constitutes adouble-dovetail connecting rod and may be slipped into each of thecorresponding dovetail grooves 34- on the sides of the block. It isobvious now that the member comprises a unit of twelve conductors ratherthan six. A similar female circuit can be arranged whereby the resultingconnector is designed to secure twelve circuits together. This numbermay be increased in combinations of the numbers of circuits designedinto the basic unit.

To connect or clip the housing block into a panel, a panel engagingmember generally indicated at 47 (FIGURE having a dovetail 50 may beinserted into the dovetail groove 34 in the side of the block. Thismember has a clip 48 on one side and a wing-like memher .9 on itsopposite end. The clip portion 48 is resilient and has an under-cutsection 48. The panel engaging member may be inserted into a panel,whereby the resiliency of the clip 48 will permit it to pass the edge ofthe panel. After it has passed the edge of the panel it will snap backinto place so that the under cut portion 48' will cooperate with theWings 49 to hold this member in the panel. The wings being U-shaped willaccommodate panels of difiFerent thickness. The

L side of the block 22 prevents lateral movement of the clip 48 to lockthe panel engaging member in position. This member may be released byremoving the block 22 and releasing the clip 48. This release mechanismpermits the locator to be retracted from the edge of the panel.

A shell 60, as shown in FIGURE 5, comprises a means for sealing the leadwire end of the terminals. A pair of tabs on the shell fit into thenotches 36 and a pair of recesses on the opposite end accommodateprojections 38 on the end block. The rim of the shell is of reducedcross sectional area and thus retains the barrels 16 of the terminalswithin the block. The shell also includes the same construction as thebarbed tab 49, tapered slot 42, etc. Thus the shell is secured to theblock and includes parts corresponding to those by which each of theblocks is secured to each other.

A cable-clamping sleeve 62 surrounding a resilient sleeve 63 may heslipped over the bundle of insulated wires and crimped in place by anysuitable deforming dies (FIGURE 11). This not only seals the lead end ofthe connectors but additionally provides a strain relief so that it willresist pulling the wires out of the terminals when tensile stress isplaced on the wires.

If a separable connection is desired a second embodiment as shown inFIGURES 6-8, l2 and 13 may be used to enclose the bundle of wires. Thisembodiment includes a wedge-shaped holding means 70 inserted in a slot'72 in the shell. The outer face of this holding means has serratedteeth which match serrations of teeth on a complementary member '74 onthe inside of the shell. This complementary member 74 as shown in FIGURE13 may be slidable in the inside surface of the shell by means of atongue and groove connection. Thus with the shell in place and thelocking means 74 inserted in the groove, the wires are fed through theShell and the wedge is forced into place. When it is desired todisconnect the wires, the locking means '74 can be moved downwardly (asshown in the drawings) with respect to the wedge to disconnect it. Thismay be accomplished by working the locking means downwardly with a sharpinstrument through aperture 76 in the shell (FIGURE 12).

Thus the basic unit consists of a block 22 and a connector 12. Aplurality of identical blocks and identical connectors may be combinedto form a multiple connector having infinite variations. Additionallythe conductors may be secured to the cables by either a permanent sealedconnection or by a separable connection and the entire unit mounted in apanel.

The arrangement shown herein provides a modular assembly which may bestacked indefinitely. Thus the same blocks may be used regardless of thelength of the connectors. Longer connectors can be employed by merelyadding more blocks. Shorter connectors would require fewer blocks. Thisis particularly useful where the connectors are fed through a panel andthe blocks plugged into the exposed blocks in the rear of the panel.Furthermore, the blocks may be snapped together and locked in place forease in assembly. Disassembly can be accomplished with the proper tool.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art andvarious apparently difierent modifications and embodiments may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forthin the foregoing description and accompanying drawings 15 oifered by wayof illustration only.

I claim:

1. A unit for forming a connection between a plurality of conductors,capable of being disconnected, including a block, a plurality ofparallel apertures in said block, connecting means in each aperture,means at each end of the block integral therewith for looking it to asimilar block in either identical relationship or longitudinally 5invented relationship, said locking means comprising a dovetail slot onone edge of one end of the block and a depending locking tab on aparallel edge of the same end, said locking tabe including a barbthereon and a mating undercut portion in the slot, and a similar slotthe tab in inverted relationship at the opposite end.

2. A unit for forming a connection between a plurality of conductors,capable of being disconnected, including a block, a plurality ofparallel apertures in said block, connecting means in each aperture,means at each end of the block integral therewith for locking it to asimilar block in either identical relationship or longitudinallyinverted relationship, said locking means comprising a dovetail slot onone edge of one end of the block and a depending locking tab on aparallel edge of the same end, and a similar lock and tab in invertedrelationship at the opposite end, said connecting means 6 beinghermaphroditic whereby two sets of similar units may be secured to eachother.

3. The device of claim 2 including a releasable means for locking theconnectors in oriented position in the apertures.

References Gated in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS848,505 Steinberger Mar. 26, 1907 2,397,102 Graham Mar. 26, 1946 2,397,283 Martin Mar. 26, 1946 2,632,780 Whitehouse Mar. 24, 19532,741,750 Barre Apr. 10, 1956 2,750,572 FOX June 12, 1956 2,780,791Morschel Feb. 5, 1957 2,814,787 Jessup Nov. 26, 1957 2,888,660 Fox May26, 1959

